Girls Will Be Girls
by CharmofLove
Summary: COMPLETED SHORT STORY - It's that time again - and who is going to ask whom to the Yule Ball? (These things are never quite easy - or so they all find out!)


Girls Will Be Girls 

by CharmofLove

Rated: G

Genre: Humor

© December 2002

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all of its entities are property of JK Rowling.  No infringement intended.

            _'Not again . . .'_  Hermione Granger's brain was ready to call it quits, go into retirement, maybe even put an end to it all by studying "Unfogging the Future" again.  Lord knew it was all a foggy mess to her!  Why did she have to look at everything so logically when she was so magically inclined?  Forget logic - she was going to lose it.  And all because of this boy - this boy (well he was one of two in her life) who would not leave her alone!

            "Hermione?  What do you think?  Do you think I should?"

            The library used to be a place of solace for Hermione Granger but now that Harry had settled in at the table with her today, she was finding it to be worse than the Potions class with Snape.  At least it all ended there, in class, with point deductions.  

            'Here we go - again', Hermione inwardly groaned.  "Harry, I - don't - know!" Hermione puffed.

            "But if I ask Ginny to the Yule Ball ," Harry started.  "She'll probably say no.  Or maybe she won't?  What do you think?"

            "Harry."

            "Hermione?"

            "This is the _eleventh_ time you have asked me today for my input."

            "Yes, and?"

            "And I will answer, for the _eleventh_ and last, do you hear me Harry Potter? _last_ time - I. DON'T. KNOW.   It'sentirelyuptoyou."  With that she shoved her head back into the book she had been trying to study before the subject had turned to Ginny.  Ginny this, Ginny that!  Ginny, Ginny, GINNY!  She was going to find the girl herself and -

            "Right." Harry sighed.  

            Hermione turned a page.  If only Ron gave her half the thought that Harry was giving Ginny.

            Harry drummed his fingers.

            She was not going to tell Harry that Ginny had refused three offers in waiting for him to ask her to the dance.  Nope. Wasn't going to do it due to the level of frustration she was suffering.  Nope, enough was enough.  Let them finally (if ever) figure it out on their own!

            "Who are you asking to the Yule Ball, anyway?" Harry queried quietly.

            "Concentrating here, Harry.  Girls aren't supposed to ask, anyway."

            "Well then, whom do you want to ask _you_ to the ball?" he pushed.

            Silence.

            "Hermione."

            "Harry."

            Hermione gripped her book so tightly that her fingertips had turned white.

            "I'm going to go find Ron," Harry said quickly and then bounded out of his chair, leaving the library.

            Hermione closed her book with a snap, slammed it on the table and sent a glare in the direction that Harry Potter had left in.  "ARGH, BOYS!" she hollered causing the librarian to send an audible "SHH!" in her direction.  

* * * 

            _'I can't believe this . . .'_  Hermione Granger's mind could not grasp what she could have possibly done to deserve all of this.  Why couldn't she just be left to her books, a sense of sanity and some peace of boy-free-mind?

            "Hermione?  What do you think?  Do you think I should?"

      It had been all of four hours, twenty-eight minutes and three seconds since the library.

            Hermione stabbed at her potatoes with her fork, watching the gravy cascade here and there over her dinner plate.  And now it was Ron's turn!  How would she survive?

            "I mean, I'm sure someone else has already asked.  Say, what are you doing to your potatoes?  Aren't you going to eat them?"

            "Ron Weasley you mind your own plate," Hermione glared.

            "But if I ask Parvati to the Yule Ball," Ron started.  

            "'She'll probably say no,'" Hermione said with Ron at the same time.  She had heard it all before - from Harry.  From Ron.  From Harry AND Ron.

            "See," Ron gulped, and looked glum.  "I knew it."

            Hermione closed her eyes and silently started to count to ten, asking Merlin to give her patience and not Hex two of her closest friends.  

            "Harry?" Ron nudged his friend who sat beside him at the dinner table.

            Harry jumped in his seat, his attention having been redirected from Ginny who was busy whispering something to Seamus.  He desperately did not like the attention she was giving Seamus.  Oh no, not at all.  It was bad, very bad.  He had better ask her tonight.  But he just knew, just knew she'd say no.  Maybe he should chance asking Hermione for her input just - one - more - time?  

            "What?" Harry asked, sighing.  His eyes looking here and there, and in-between watching Ginny and Seamus should anything out of bounds take place.  One good curse and -

            "Should I ask her?" Ron inquired interrupting Harry's thoughts.

            Hermione began cutting her sausage up into little, itty-bitty, bits.  Neville Longbottom looked on with horror.

            "I don't know," Harry stated glumly.  "Ask Hermione," he suggested with a small smile.  "I' have a dilemma of my own," he rolled his eyes.  To ask, or not to ask, that was the question.  

            "Oh, just ask her, Harry!" Ron rolled his eyes.

            Harry sighed.  Was Ron talking about asking Hermione about Ginny or just asking Ginny about the ball?  His head was starting to whirl and he was actually almost willing his scar to ache so he had something else to think about beyond girls.  After this, O.W.L.s would be a cinch.  Heck, defeating Voldemort wouldn't be a problem at all.  Nope, not after this.

            "Right.  Easy enough - wouldn't you say Ron," Harry glared.  "What was the question again?" he stated with sarcasm.

But Ron was oblivious to Harry's meaning.

"Hermione-" Ron started.  "Do you think-"

            "NO!  NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!" she shrieked and the entire Great Hall quieted.  "NO MORE THINKING!  NO MORE ASKING ME FOR ADVICE ON ASKING GIRLS!  NO!  Unless you are thinking of asking ME for a date to the Yule Ball, Ronald Weasley, then I suggest you bugger off!"  

            Harry snorted.

            "AND YOU!" she shouted at Harry.  "JUST ask her!  And, and - YOU ask her!  Stop asking me!  Ginny's WAITING for you to ask.  Are you going to make her wait all year while you ask ME about whether or not you should ask her?!?!," she huffed.  "Ooohhhhh, nevermind!"

And with that, Hermione Granger stood up, and marched out of the Great Hall, her head held high.

            Ron's face went noticeably red, and Harry hung his head in a bit of fear, an attempt to hide peals of laughter and also a bit of embarrassment for good measure.

            "What did we do?!" Ron asked with amazement.

            Katie, Angelina and Parvati all shook their heads and clucked their tongues.

            "WHAT?!" Ron bellowed at the other girls.  "What is it that we don't know?!"

            The girls went back to talking, giggling and eating. 

            "So, Harry?" Ginny started, drawing his attention from across the table.

            Harry's face went deathly pale.  "Yes, Ginny?" his voice broke a bit with the words.

            "Anything you want to ask me?" She smiled sweetly, enjoying, no _savoring_ the moment. 

            Harry sighed and glared.  It was all some big hormonal conspiracy.  Girls had it _all_ worked out.  He was certain of this now.

            "Well?" Ginny blinked.

            Harry swallowed, "Ginnywillyoupleaseendmymiseryandcometotheyuleballwithme?"

            Ron frowned.  "Did you forget to breath in there, Harry?"

            "Well, at LEAST I asked," Harry fumed.

            "Yes of course," Ginny shrugged and smacked Seamus on the head for roaring with laughter at the whole scene.

            "I just do not understand it," Ron blinked.  "Why do they have to be so different from us?"

            Harry shrugged, "They just are."

            But Ron wasn't finished, "I mean, why do they have to go and complicate things?!"

            Neville shrugged, "Girls will be girls!"

            The boys chewed thoughtfully on their dinner for a bit.

            "Hey Harry?" Ron swallowed and looked thoughtful. "Maybe I shouldn't ask Parvati this year.  Maybe I should ask Hermione?  What do you think?"

            Harry let his head fall to the table with a thud. 

            "She really is quite pretty when she's mad like that," Ron said with a slightly far-away look as he took a sip of his pumpkin juice.  "Yeah, why not!" he smiled to himself.

            Harry groaned.  And to think they had to do this again next year?  Maybe by then, things would be more . . . he looked up and smiled at Ginny who blushed and smiled back . . . steady.

            Oh yes, and they all knew, even then the boys would be boys.


End file.
